Palmitoleic acid is an ω-7 monounsaturated fatty acid that is a common constituent of the triglycerides of human adipose tissue. It is found mainly in animal fats, particularly in fish and marine mammals, and is also present in the seeds of plants of the Proteaceae family. In contrast to a diet enriched with oleic acid , palmitoleic acid-based diets raise low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and lower high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, much like that of a saturated fatty acid, even when dietary intake of cholesterol is maintained at a low level.